Abandoned
by Corbin Slate
Summary: During a rough week on the trail Rowdy begins to feel very isolated. Why is everyone avoiding him?


_Title: Abandoned_

_Summary: During a rough week on the trail Rowdy begins to feel very isolated. Why is everyone avoiding him?_

_Rating: G_

It had been a very lonely and miserable week on the trail for Rowdy Yates. He was completely surrounded by fellow crew-members most of them familiar, but Rowdy could not shake the feeling that everyone was avoiding him. Even his Boss, Gil Favor, had been unusually distant. Rowdy had done his best to be friendly to make amends for whatever he had done to cross everyone all at once, but his efforts seemed wasted.

As he trudged up to the morning campfire to get some coffee the small group of drovers that had been standing around chatting left. Rowdy tried to pretend that he hadn't noticed, but their cold actions were really beginning to hurt. With a sigh he poured himself a mug of hot coffee. The Ramrod watched the black drink steam in his mug for a moment and felt the heat centered in the palms of his hands.

It was the strangest thing, but the coffee had no scent. The normally strong aroma of coffee was not present. All Rowdy could sense as he drank the liquid down was the heat of it. Rowdy shrugged and thought maybe he was coming down with a cold.

Someone was watching him. Rowdy glanced up from his mug to see his Boss staring at him intently. The heat that Rowdy had been filled with from the coffee was suddenly gone, and in its place rested an unwelcome coolness. Rowdy had to hold back a shiver as he tried to smile at Favor.

"How are you this morning, Boss?"

Rowdy awaited a reply, but found his attempt at small talk completely ignored. Instead Favor stepped up and patted Rowdy gently on the shoulder.

"It'll be all right. Don't you worry, Rowdy."

An unpleasant chill coursed through Rowdy as he watched Favor walk away from him. _What in the world was that all about?_ Rowdy kicked a small rock in frustration. Why was everyone treating him like he wasn't there? And then Favor was acting just as strange. Nothing was making any sense.

As Rowdy came into camp that evening, he felt exhausted. His horse had ridden unusually rough that day, and as a result his entire body ached with every step that he took. Rowdy choked on some dust still itching his throat from earlier in the day. The trail had been especially dusty and he had spent most of the day choking beneath his bandana.

Rowdy could hear the other drovers talking near the campfire, and as he drew closer he realized that they were talking _about him._ The young man winced inwardly as they dispersed when they spotted him approaching them. Rowdy sat heavily on a stump and sipped the hot, tasteless coffee he poured for himself. The Boss was there again, just watching him. Rowdy looked up waiting for Favor to speak.

"This won't last forever, Rowdy," Favor whispered in a soothing voice.

Rowdy knitted his brow as he tried to figure out what Favor was talking about. "What are you talking about, Boss?"

The young man felt a cool shiver pass over his body as Favor drew nearer to him.

"This ain't nothing that you can't pull through. Be strong boy." 

Rowdy flinched as Favor patted his shoulder for the second time that day. Favor started to walk away from Rowdy.

"Wait, Boss," Rowdy stood up to follow Favor.

"Rowdy, I'm sorry, I can't stay. There's work to be done. Wishbone and Mushy are here if you need them."

"But, I just want to talk to someone for a little while."

"Mushy's here. Talk to him," Favor said softly as he turned toward the remuda and left Rowdy alone.

Rowdy glanced around the empty camp. There wasn't a soul around. Even Mushy and Wishbone seemed to have gone somewhere else. Rowdy rubbed the back of his head as he tried to figure out what was going on.

No matter how much fresh coffee or canteen water he drank Rowdy was not able to quench his thirst. It was as though he were not even drinking when he held the full canteen to his lips. Rowdy gave up on coffee. As black and strong as it appeared to be in the mug, it was completely bland. At least with the water that was considered normal.

If Rowdy listened very carefully, he thought that he could almost hear Mushy and Wishbone speaking. Their voices were like faint whispers, and when he tried to get closer to the source the voices faded away to hide from him. But when he tried to ignore them completely he could almost make out what they were saying. Well, he knew it when they mentioned his name.

Rowdy needed to get away from this, he needed to think. With everyone whispering just out of earshot a clear thought was almost impossible. Rowdy stalked to the remuda to fetch his horse, but to his surprise his mount was gone. Even more troublesome was the fact that all of the horses were gone.

Rowdy wondered briefly where they all might have wandered, but then he decided he didn't need a horse. He could after all still walk under his own power.

"Where do you think you're going, Rowdy?"

Rowdy halted mid-stride at the rumble of Mr. Favor's voice.

"I just need to go for a walk, Boss."

"You go and see Wishbone first. He needs to talk to you."

What could Wishbone possibly want from him? Rowdy shrugged and obediently headed toward the chuck wagon.

As Rowdy neared the chuck wagon, he suddenly felt incredibly weak. His head was pounding horribly and his vision swam. Rowdy dropped to his knees as he erupted in a fit of violent coughing. Rowdy glanced up groggily when someone touched his shoulder. It was Wishbone and he was holding a mug of watery looking coffee. Rowdy pushed the cup away; he didn't want anything to drink when he couldn't even catch his breath.

He hadn't seen Favor approach him from behind, but he recognized the strong grip on his shoulders, holding him in check. Rowdy struggled futilely both for breath and in Favor's grip. In spite of the fact that he could scarcely draw in a breath he drank the liquid that Wishbone offered when he figured out that he wasn't going to be able to refuse it.

It was the first thing that Rowdy actually remembered having a taste to it in a while. The bitterness of the coffee mixed with whatever tonic Wishbone had added had made Rowdy want to heave, but he'd managed to hold it down and found that soon after the rasping cough in his chest seemed to be soothed.

Rowdy opened his eyes to hear voices all around him. Wishbone was dishing out food to the drovers and lecturing them at the same time. Men were sitting around the campfire joking, and playing cards. Rowdy realized that he was bedded down near the chuck wagon where Wishbone could keep an eye on him. Rowdy rubbed his eyes wearily and yawned as he wondered how long he'd been asleep.

"I was wondering when you were gonna come around," Mr. Favor said lightly as he knelt next to Rowdy's bedroll. "How are you feeling?" Favor asked as he reached out and gently palmed Rowdy's forehead. After a brief moment Favor seemed satisfied that Rowdy wasn't too feverish and he retracted his hand.

"I dunno. I'm tired. I guess. What's going on around here?" 

"Oh, you went and got yourself sick in that nasty rainstorm a few days back, remember? Wishbone and Mushy been looking after you for nearly three days now."

"I've been sick?" Rowdy did vaguely recall the storm, but not being sick.

"Yep, delirious with some kinda fever, coughing like a mad man and talking to yourself.."

"Oh," Rowdy said recalling the memories that he now recognized as dreams.

"Wishbone said you were getting better when you gave him such a hard time about taking that tonic."

"You were there too. I heard your voice," Rowdy whispered recalling that Favor had been the only one that he'd been able to speak to earlier.

"Well, sure I was there. I had my concerns too. Couldn't just let you die and leave all the work for me, could I?"

Rowdy frowned, but then realized Favor was teasing.

"Get some more rest. I'll have Mushy bring you some food," Favor said. The trail boss patted Rowdy's shoulder and then stood.

"Thanks, Boss," Rowdy whispered settling back onto his bedroll. 

Favor glanced back at Rowdy, thankful that he was on his way back to his normal self. The past three days had been absolute torture. Favor had helped look after Rowdy so that Mushy and Wishbone could rest. It had been difficult to watch Rowdy suffer, and only offer a wet rag or a soft tone of voice for comfort. Favor had meant to tell Rowdy that he valued his friendship as well as his skills as a drover, but Rowdy already knew that he was important. He already knew that everyone wanted him around. _Didn't he? _

_The End_.

  
  
  



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